Written Answers Thursday 17 December 2009

Scottish Executive

Agriculture and Fisheries Council

Alasdair Allan (Western Isles) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of the December EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting.

Richard Lochhead: An EU Fisheries Council ended late on 15 December in Brussels and agreed the TAC and Quota Regulation for 2010.

  Against a background of a particularly challenging economic climate and the tough effort restrictions affecting a proportion of Scotland’s industry, the deal includes effective rollovers and quota increases for some of Scotland’s most valuable stocks while also ensuring that the sustainability of our stocks remains our primary concern. The £6.9 million North Sea and west of Scotland megrim fisheries will see a 10% quota increase in 2010. There will be a quota rollover for the monkfish fishery, worth over £28 million in 2008, with a flexibility provision which will allow up to 5% of the North Sea quota (460 tonnes) to be taken in the west of Scotland. This provision has been a long-standing request from the Scottish industry.

  The cuts in nephrops and west of Scotland haddock quotas originally proposed have been mitigated. There is an effective rollover in the north Sea nephrops quota (a cut of 0.6%) and a 15% cut in the west of Scotland nephrops quota which is broadly in line with industry expectations at a time when Scotland only catches around two-thirds of its west coast nephrops quota. While the west of Scotland haddock quota will be reduced by 25% in 2010 rather than the proposed 54% cut, the European Commission has agreed to look again in early 2010 at the emergency technical measures re-imposed on the west coast at the November Council.

  Council also confirmed the Commission’s decision to exempt from further cuts in days at sea 67 west coast vessels that catch a very low percentage of cod.

  The Fisheries Council took place against the backdrop of the recent postponement of the EU-Norway negotiations. However, Council agreed to set interim quotas for stocks such as North Sea cod, North Sea haddock and mackerel to ensure fishermen can continue to go to sea while these talks are concluded.

  The Council also approved a "catch less, land more" trial, which Scotland, in partnership with Denmark, Germany and the UK, has been promoting as another innovative way of rewarding fishermen for their conservation efforts. In return for catching and discarding less, fishermen will be allowed to land and earn more. This initiative will build on the success of Scotland’s Conservation Credits Scheme which rewards fishermen for pro-conservation activities with additional days at sea.

  I will be writing to the Convener of the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee in the coming days to set out the full details of the quota changes and other measures agreed at this week’s Council.

Ambulance Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any payments, additional to basic salary, were made to senior executives of the Scottish Ambulance Service who left the service during or following the investigation into the leadership culture of the organisation.

Nicola Sturgeon: Employment matters within NHSScotland are the responsibility of health boards and the Scottish Government is not party to agreements reached between boards and their employees. (Boards are however required to notify the Scottish Government of any termination payments to employees which exceed their basic contractual entitlement. I can confirm that no such notification was received from the Scottish Ambulance Service.)

Banking

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Investment Bank will begin to make investments.

John Swinney: Scottish Enterprise is already making investments in innovative high growth potential Scottish companies through the Scottish Co-investment, Venture and Seed Funds. These three funds will comprise the initial interventions of the Scottish Investment Bank. From April to November 2009 these funds invested in 60 different Scottish firms in deals totalling £64.8 million, of which the public sector element was some £18 million.

Cancer

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to raise awareness among medical professionals of oesophageal cancer.

Nicola Sturgeon: Awareness of oesophageal cancer among medical professionals is raised through a number of different routes at national, regional and local levels, including the dissemination of relevant clinical guidelines such as SIGN Guideline 87 on the Management of Oesophageal and Gastric Cancer and SIGN Guideline 68 on Dyspepsia (which is due to be updated next year). Managed Clinical Networks use such guidelines to develop patient referral and care pathways.

  The Scottish Cancer Taskforce (SCT) has been working with the Scottish Cancer Coalition in the area of awareness raising of cancer generally. The SCT is holding a workshop in January 2010 which will consider issues around awareness raising in more detail.

Children with Disabilities

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it expects NHS boards to provide to severely disabled children with serious health problems living at home and whether each board satisfies its requirements.

Shona Robison: In line with the Getting it Right for Every Child approach, and in partnership with local authorities, the third sector and other relevant partners, the Scottish Government expects NHS boards to provide appropriate, timely and flexible support to severely disabled children which puts the needs of children and families at the heart of service design and delivery. We would expect progress with this goal to be assessed under appropriate scrutiny arrangements. In addition, the recently established managed clinical network for children with exceptional healthcare needs aims to improve services for a group of children and young people defined by their complexity of care rather than diagnosis, actively encouraging professionals from health, education, social work, the voluntary sector and parents and carers to discuss and become involved in service improvement.

Constitution

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in the event of an affirmative vote in the proposed independence referendum, whether it plans to hold a second referendum to confirm any settlement subsequently negotiated with the UK Government.

Bruce Crawford: I refer the member to chapter 10 of Your Scotland, Your Voice , which sets out the government’s plans for a referendum.

Electricity

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make its determination on applications to upgrade the Beauly to Denny overhead transmission line.

Jim Mather: The decision regarding the upgrading of the Beauly to Denny overhead transmission line is an important one that has rightly generated a great deal of interest across Scotland. The evidence gathering involved the largest and longest running Public Local Inquiry since devolution and a wide ranging public consultation as well as in depth consideration of the environmental assessment amongst other work. It is important that it is scrutinised in close detail.

  I have stated previously that I will make a decision on the applications to upgrade the Beauly to Denny overhead transmission line by the end of the year. I agree with the Convener of the Enterprise, Energy and Tourism Committee in his letter of 27 October 2009 that this issue is of such importance that the decision should be announced to Parliament. I will therefore notify Parliament, the applicants and the other interested parties of my decision at the earliest opportunity, and at that time I will make a ministerial statement to the Parliament.

European Finance

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding accessing funds from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund to assist Diageo workers in Kilmarnock.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government has had no discussions with the UK Government regarding accessing funds from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund because the interventions supported by the European Globalisation Fund are similar to those offered by PACE – the Scottish Government’s initiative to support individuals facing redundancy. Skills Development Scotland has responsibility for PACE at a national level and was successful in securing £1.5 million of European Social Funds to boost resources available through PACE. This additional funding and recent improvements to PACE will ensure that all those facing redundancy within Diageo will be able to access the right advice, support and training to enable them to move swiftly into alternative employment. The Scottish Funding Council has also made £7 million available to Scotland’s colleges to enable colleges to run specific training courses for individuals that have been made redundant.

European Finance

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with stakeholders regarding accessing funds from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund to assist Diageo workers in Kilmarnock and whether it will list meetings ministers have had.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is working closely with stakeholders to assist Diageo workers facing redundancy. Skills Development Scotland is leading local PACE teams and arrangements have been made to ensure that early support is being provided. The Scottish Government has boosted support to PACE to ensure that sufficient resources are in place and as a result there have been no discussions regarding accessing the European Globalisation Adjustment Funds.

  The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth chaired the taskforce of Glasgow City and East Ayrshire councils, GMB and Unite trade unions, Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International which was set up following Diageo’s restructuring announcement. At its meeting on 14 September 2009, the taskforce agreed that it would continue to meet to co-ordinate matters of common interest and that East Ayrshire and Glasgow City councils would lead the development of regeneration strategies for their areas.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the research, Fall prevention with supplemental and active forms of vitamin D: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials , published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ 2009; 339:b3692), whether it has formed a view on the prophylactic use of supplemented vitamin D in managing the risk of falls in older people.

Shona Robison: We are guided by advice from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) on vitamin supplements. The guidance currently states that people over 65 should take a supplement of 10 micrograms of vitamin D per day. SACN have recently concluded that further risk assessment and consideration of existing dietary reference values would only be warranted when definitive evidence becomes available. They have also stated that all newly emerging research on vitamin D will be monitored for evidence that may warrant a further risk assessment and review of vitamin D requirements. In the event of such a review recommending a change to supplement levels, the Scottish Government will make arrangements to inform general practitioners and other health professionals accordingly.

Justice

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has plans to help acquitted defendants recover legal costs.

Kenny MacAskill: The legal aid scheme already meets the legal costs of defendants in criminal cases where it is considered that they would suffer undue hardship if they did not have access to publicly funded legal assistance.

  We have no plans to provide for the legal costs of individuals who choose not to apply or are ineligible for support under the legal aid scheme.

Local Government Finance

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can confirm that the City of Edinburgh Council has received an above-inflation increase of 1.76% in its 2010-11 revenue budget and whether it expects the council to meet its concordat commitments.

John Swinney: I can confirm the increase in the City of Edinburgh Council’s provisional 2010-11 revenue funding is 1.76%. Local government remains committed to implementing the concordat. The strength of the concordat lies in enshrining a realistic, flexible and sustainable approach to the issues that face local and national government. Recent joint discussions have produced a framework for further sustained progress on a number of the key concordat commitments at a time of increasing financial pressure on the Scottish Government and on local authorities, given the reductions in public expenditure imposed by the UK Government.

Local Government Finance

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress there has been with reporting on the implementation of single outcome agreements.

John Swinney: Councils and Community Planning Partnerships were asked to submit annual reports covering progress made towards first phase single outcome agreements in 2008-09 by end September. All 32 reports have been received and are available on the Local Government Improvement Service website:

  http://www.improvementservice.org.uk/library/577-single-outcome-agreements/666-phase-1-single-outcome-agreements-2008-2011/693-single-outcome-agreement-2008-09-reports/view-category/.

  The Scottish Government is producing an overview commentary, which assembles some of the key messages from these annual reports. It will be published shortly.

Mental Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in achieving the HEAT target to "reduce the annual rate of increase of defined daily dose per capita of antidepressants to zero by 2009-10 and put in place the required support framework to achieve a 10% reduction in future years".

Shona Robison: The following table shows the percentage change of defined daily dose (DDD) per capita of antidepressants using the HEAT target measure. This measure tracks change on the basis of a rolling twelve month period and has always been, and continues to be, the method set and agreed for tracking progress against the target.

  

Year Ending
Scotland % change


30-06-2006
0.21%


30-09-2006
0.89%


31-12-2006
1.58%


31-03-2007
1.64%


30-06-2007
0.96%


30-09-2007
1.77%


31-12-2007
1.54%


31-03-2008
1.12%


30-06-2008
0.29%


30-09-2008
1.17%


31-12-2008
1.43%


31-03-2009
1.19%


30-06-2009
1.33%

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of access to psychology services people in long-term residential care are expected to have.

Shona Robison: People in long-term residential care should receive the same standard and quality of health care as people in the community.

  The Scottish Government has committed to develop an access target for psychological therapies and is giving particular consideration to the needs of older people in that work.

  In addition the National Care Standards require that resident’s healthcare needs are assessed at least every six months and that healthcare needs are met. It will be for general practitioners to assess if someone needs to see a psychologist, and if so, this will be arranged by the general practitioner just as it would be for any patient.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ask the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care to consider including an expectation of access to psychological services for people in long-term residential care as part of its standards of good practice.

Shona Robison: Under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001, Scottish ministers are responsible for preparing and publishing the national care standards. These set out what people who use care services can expect from the service. The Care Commission is required to take these standards into account when regulating and assessing service providers. The commission will also direct service providers to best practice guidelines where these exist.

  The national care standards require care home providers to ensure that each individual resident’s healthcare needs are met in a way that best suits the resident. This includes any specialist service a resident may require.

  The national dementia strategy includes a workstream addressing issues around patient pathways, which includes consideration of access to appropriate psychological therapies.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to increase older people’s access to cognitive stimulation therapy.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has a particular focus on improving access to evidence-based psychological therapies in a range of settings and through a range of providers. We are working with NHS Education for Scotland and NHS boards to improve availability of psychological therapies for all patient groups, including older people.

  In order to achieve this, a psychological therapies group – a sub-group of which focuses on older people - has been set up in collaboration with NES to oversee the implementation of the advice in the published The Matrix - a Guide to delivering evidence-based Psychological Therapies in Scotland, its continuous updating, and to expand its coverage to other key priority areas in mental health. The matrix gives advice to health boards on the issues involved in the delivery of evidence-based psychological interventions, including strategic service planning, training standards, and adequate levels of supervision.

  At present the matrix highly recommends cognitive stimulation therapy as an appropriate intervention for older people, especially those with dementia.

  The national dementia strategy includes a work stream addressing issues around patient pathways - which includes consideration of access to appropriate psychological therapies.

National Health Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list items lost or stolen from NHS hospitals or services in the last two years, broken down by (a) date lost or stolen, (b) date reported and (c) value of the loss.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not collect information on individual losses or thefts from NHS hospitals and the dates they are reported but this information should be held on individual Board Loss Registers. We do however obtain a summary report on such losses from boards each year advising of the number of losses and their total value and the totals reported are shown in the following table.

  

 
Number of Incidents
2007-08 (£)
Number of Incidents
2008-09 (£)


NHS Ayrshire and Arran
564
97,567
264
47,494


NHS Borders
7
15,000
3
313


NHS Dumfries and Galloway
38
22,980
6
16,617


NHS Fife
158
23,463
48
17,141


NHS Forth Valley
35
11,643
24
11,278


NHS Grampian
10
20,313
2
118


NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
0
0
1
25,000


NHS Highland
12
3,920
6
787


NHS Lanarkshire
42
9,059
392
65,332


NHS Lothian
65
124,753
55
220


NHS Orkney
3
1,236
4
2,016


NHS Shetland
189
1,326
155
1,223


NHS Tayside
107
48,228
142
125,637


NHS West Isles
22
12,181
2
12,370


NHS 24 
0
0
69
46


NHS Health
3
9,108
0
0


National Services Scotland
1
300
0
0


Total Losses
1,256
401,077
1,173
325,592

Public Sector

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what potential savings can be made in the public sector by a shared-service approach and the contracting out of services.

John Swinney: The public sector has a duty to deliver best value and in doing so develop the most efficient and effective service delivery models. The Local Government Diagnostic programme and the recent Sir John Arbuthnott review of Shared Services in Clyde Valley have indicated there is clearly a role for shared services in achieving this. The scale of the potential savings will vary from project to project.

Roads

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the safety modifications to the A68 Dalkeith bypass will be completed.

John Swinney: There are no safety modifications planned on the mainline of the A68 Dalkeith Bypass. However, works are planned to improve the layout of the Fordel Mains Junction. These works are due to commence on 5 January 2010 and are expected to take eight weeks to complete.

Student Finance

Charlie Gordon (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students or former students are being pursued for outstanding debts relating to the former graduate endowment.

Michael Russell: Over 22,000 individuals have paid the graduate endowment, either directly or by student loan. Only 882 individuals have yet to make arrangements for payment.

Swimming Pools

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans to include top class facilities for sport, including a 50-metre swimming pool, in the new campus for Inverness College.

Shona Robison: It is for the owners of Inverness College to determine the range and level of sporting facilities to be developed on its campus. On the matter of a 50 metre swimming pool, this has not been identified as a priority within Scottish Swimming’s facility strategy. However, I am sure that Scottish Swimming would be happy to discuss their facility strategy with the owners of the college to consider how best to help meet the needs of swimmers in the Inverness area.